Parish Predators: SNAP’s David Clohessy Wants to Know What Took Cardinal Daniel DiNardo So Long in the Case of Rev. Stephen Horn

• This cover-up by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo comes as no surprise to me, still a recovering victim at the age of 69. I was kidnapped and raped by a Catholic priest and a Catholic seminarin in 1955. The priest is now deceased but the Shreveport Diocese rebuffed me until 2004 when they finally acknowedged that the priest was known by the Diocese's of Shreveport and Alexandria, Louisiana since 1952. The priest'sfunctions were finally removed in 1987 after the Alexandria Diocese lost a court case against them and the priest. The then seminarian, now a priest in the Salina, Kansas Diocese, has been shielded by that Diocese and I lost a suit against the Diocese and the priest, Donald McCarthy, because of the statute of limitations. The Diocese says I have the wrong man because, and I quote, "He doesn't have red hair"! Even though I have a black and white picture of him from 1956. The priest, Donald McCarthy is still an active but retired priest in Cawker City, Kansas. "Vengence is mine, sayth the Lord".

• In a posting here, "A Catholic Christian" stated Fr.Horn was mabe getting help in the form of REHABILITION. HA HA, that is a joke, he is living with his sister not a mile from Christ the King Church, plus where he is living is directly accross the street from a major Houston park.

• The question was regarding accountability of the church leadership and hierarchy. The secular legal system was cited as the venue for assuring that accountability. How does the layperson hold the church leadership accountable? In the case of corporations, there is accountability both to the secular legal system and to the stockholders. In the case of government groups, there is accountability both to the secular justice system and to the people who instituted the government. In the case of church hierarchy, how does the layperson hold the leadership accountable? Or, does the layperson hold the leadership accountable? To imagine the pain which some clergy abuse victims endure, consider the following extreme re-interpretation based on the movie and book "The Excorcist". Image that the child in that fictional story was being raped by a Jesuit priest.(read or watch closely for the clues..) That sort of horror may provide some shocking insight as to what some vicitms feel. In reality, of course, numerous children have been molested and/or raped by priests. Some children, perhaps, were raped and/or molested in their own beds. The real horror movie is the non-fiction one. However, healing along with justice and accountability will assist the victims in putting the pieces back together. Thanks again Houston Press. It's been real Bahati

• Okay ... sorry if my final statement was a bit confusing. What I meant was, people will inevitably have a strong dislike (sometimes even hatred) towards the Catholic Church and cite the clergy abuse scandal as a primary reason for their dislike. No matter what the church leadership does to remedy the situation and to reach out, some people will still have this opinion. Just like how some people still have a negative opinion of the Catholic church because of the Spanish Inquisition. That was the only 'link' I was implying between those events. We are living in a very different world now. You said: "I believe the concern is that there may be huge issues, practices, events, etc. which the church leaders handle in ways that the public at large disagrees with completely." I think this comment has the potential to cover a very broad spectrum here, from the Church's stance on contraception to the handling of the clergy sex abuse scandals. For issues on morality and faith (i.e. contraception), the Catholic Church is not likely to change their position for the sake of the general public (this should come as no surprise). But, I assume that you are primarily referring to how they've publicly handled the clergy sex scandals. From what I've read on blogs & heard around the watercooler, the public at large disagrees wtih DiNardo's waiting 2 months to publicly announce the instance with Fr Horn, and that he allegedly waited 2 months to notify the legal authorities. Also, people have asked to know the location where Fr Horn is seeking rehabilitation. You ask how these leaders are held accountable, and I believe the most effective way is via the secular legal system. DiNardo has confirmed that the archdiocese has notified the legal authorities of the situation, and I bet that if there are legal reprocussions for withholding this information for 2 months, then I'm sure the media will get a hold of it pretty quickly. I was reading through the Archdioceses' policies on reporting these types of incidents, and it does state that the Archdioceses' attorneys are to be consulted. I know they are employed by the Archdiocese, but I'd like to think that even attorneys would give accurate legal advice to their client. Also, I found this document on the standards for reporting abuse: http://www.archgh.org/SafeEnvironment/pdf/Archdiocesan%20Reporting%20Policy%20_English_.pdf Notice in all cases, the victim is instructed to call CPS and/or the police in addition to the Archdiocese. I'm not trying to say that the victim is at fault in this case for going straight to the church (maybe he did call CPS ... I have not read anything to say explicitly one way or the other). All I mean to say is that the Church isn't telling the public "let us handle it on our own" - they are instructing victims to go to the proper legal authorities. You also said "Lifting one's voice to help the leadership correct the mishandling of the clergy abuse cases should not feel like commission of a sin." And I agree wholeheartedly. I think, though, that challenging the leadership of the Catholic Church would be just as intimidating as challenging a major corporation or a government group. I cannot answer to why some victims maintain silence for years before coming forward. A college friend of mine was physically abused by her boyfriend. I remember when she told me what happened, and she admitted that she continued living with him for a month after the incident out of fear that he'd hit her again, and fear that he'd do something worse to her. As I said in my previous post, it's nearly impossible to imagine what they go through until one endures that pain for themselves. Good discussions. Thanks for the rational manner in which you have communicated your views. Mary

• Good comments on striving to understand the pain of victims of clergy abuse. However, the last paragraph of the 1-22-08 4:38pm post leaves open some questions about church leadership's accountability. There is the statement that the ongoing story of abuse by priests has affected the credibility of church leaders. This statement is followed by an unexpected sentence referencing the Spanish Inquisition. I believe the concern is that there may be huge issues, practices, events, etc. which the church leaders handle in ways that the public at large disagrees with completely. And, in such cases great harm occurs as with the Inquisition and as with the multitudes of clergy abuse cases. How are these leaders held accountable? - I think this is the real question. Alternately, to which human being(s) is(are) the church leaders accountable? There are new policies and procedures and personnel in place but it appears to some that the church leaders self-police. The priests, deacons and religious order personnel answer to the hierarchy and the hierarchy answers to who or what? How does the layperson hold the leadership accountable? the secular legal system, the media, public protest, silence, or what? For many, the choice is silence. However, silence may not be the most effective choice in every case. Lifting one's voice to help the leadership correct the mishandling of the clergy abuse cases should not feel like commission of a sin. However, one wonders whether the fear of lifting one's voice is heightened by the memory of such extreme behavior as seen with the Spanish Inquisition. Perhaps it is also that same sort of fear which keeps victims quiet for decades before they begin to share their stories and seek the healing which is needed. Bahati

• Bahati - The Virtus program is relatively new, and was not actively taught/used when the alleged abuse occured. I'd also venture to say that this program wasn't in place for the majority of abuse that surfaced earlier this decade (many of those, like Fr Horn's case, happened years ago). I believe Galveston-Houston adopted the program in 2002-2003 (more or less). And, from what I remember from the program (I took it in 2003), it did include anonymous testimonies from teens & young adults who recalled the pain they endured and their emotional struggles after the molestations. I vividly remember one of them discussing his attempted suicide because of the shame he felt. I hope my comment of prayer for a victim in response for the request to worry didn't seem to be a cop-out. I've read testimonials and have seen first-hand the pain caused by victims of sexual abuse. But, it's one of those things that you never fully understand until you've been there. Again, that's not meant to be a cop-out at all. I mentioned in a prior post that I was diagnosed with clinical depression & anxiety disorder last fall. My sister was diagnosed as well a year before I was. Talking to her now, we relate so much better because we've shared the same mental & physical struggles that come with this. I can look back on how she was acting towards the family a year ago and understand on a deeper level why she said and did the things she did. But, I do agree that the credibility of church leaders has been tainted by this scandal, and I hope that measures such as Virtus and open communication and proactivity will help to restore credibility. But, then again, as a Catholic, I have been asked how I can belong to a church that led the Spanish Inquisition. Go figure. Mary

• I concur that the focus should be on healing the victims and on preventing the creation of more victims by promoting accountability. The Virtus program is fairly new, yet it is more than what was in place when the accuser/victim of Horn was alleged to have been abused. Basically, little to nothing was in place previously other than the judgement of individual bishops, cardinals, etc. It is that judgement of church leaders that is still being questioned today even though new procedures and policies are in place. There was a challenge to worry about the victims. That challenge includes not only prayer but also the striving to understand the depth and nature of their hurt so that the urgency of the matter may become more vivid. If the Virtus program does not provide insight into how victims feel after being victimized then other resources may be approached. Bahati

• Bahati - thanks for the link; I have my own copy of the Catechism. I agree, this has been a good discussion about forgiveness. And you bring up good points about other feelings in addition to resentment. A friend of mine confided in me that she was molested by her step-father. The main emotion (that she shared with me, at least) was that of questioning her self-worth after these events. Ms. Sullivan - I pray that you find peace in your heart. You seem to have a great deal of anger towards the Catholic Church, not just the individual priests. You ask how I can sit in a room with a man who "might might have spiritually murdered lots of God's precious children". The key word in that sentence is <I>might</I>. You seem to be unfairly claiming that <I>all</I> Catholic priests are pedofiles, and I believe that to be false and unfair. Also, Cardinal DiNardo <I>has</I> removed Fr Horn from public ministry to prevent future occurrences. This is the first time I can remember that the archbishop of our archdiocese has come forward to the public to admit what has happened. Furthermore, you claim that the "RCC has done nothing to help the community at large". Sadly, few people are aware of the requirements on clergy, church staff, and church volunteers who work with youth. Here is the Archdiocesan policy: http://www.archgh.org/SafeEnvironment/summary.htm The program we use is called Virtus (www.virtusonline.org). Each American diocese is required to use a program such as this to protect our children. The course teaches us, as adults in contact with children in the church setting to: 1. More readily recognize a child who has been or who is being abused. 2. More readily recognize an adult who is in a situation such as church leadership or involvement for the purpose of access to children for molestation. 3. Protect ourselves from allegations (i.e. never be alone with a child). My priest friends take great measures (sometimes borderline silly) to keep themselves out of situations where their integrity can be questioned. I hope this helps. And, per my prior posts, I hardly consider myself one who "sits back and be pious little people who care only about a place they call church. Worry about those who have been abused in that church." I am keeping <I>all</I> impacted by this situation in my prayers. Mary

• To all who have posted here I find it necessary to say, "How could you stay in the same room with someone you know to be a representative of God, in your church , who might have spiritually murdered lots of God's precious children? Forgivness has nothing to do with the crime that has been committed. That comes after the crime of sexually abusing a minor has been recognized by the authorities, the church and the community which, of course must know of this to take the proper action to protect their children, taking them out of the Catholic situation.[+registering the sex offender] The RCC has done nothing to help the community at large, because of the huge cover ups. Forgivness has an individual timing, that of course we must do. Jesus said 7x70. Keep your spirituality pure by doing something to keep the evil men from continuing this murder for another century or so. Put them all in jail, offenders and those who are assesories to the crimes, from the top to the bottom. Don't sit back and be pious little people who care only about a place they call church. Worry about those who have been abused in that church.

• Good discussion on forgiveness. To add to that - the Catholic Catechism refers to Penance which the Catholic Priests should be familiar with. It was this process to which I was referring in a post earlier. This Catechism may be found at http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.htm#iv I agree that holding on to resentment can add to one's hurt. Many victims of clergy abuse let go of resentment ( if they feel it to begin with) towards a wrongdoing priest readily. However, this does not guarantee that the healing process is complete. And, many victims of clergy abuse don't really know what emotion(s) to feel - resentment, detachment, horror, shock, incredulity, excrutiating pain, self-pity, helplessness, guilt, etc. The pain of some victims may have little to nothing to do with resentment toward the perpetrator. The pain may be due to the feeling of betrayal and/or utter confusion. There may be a multitude of feelings which the victim experiences but doesn't understand fully. The cause of justice and the promotion of accountability does not equate to holding on to resentment of an individual who has done wrong. But, clearly the wrong deed should be detested by all. Resentment can be an impediment to healing; however, it is not the only factor to be considered. Bahati.

• The process of forgiveness depends upon each person and situation. A wise woman said to me once, if you can't forgive someone yourself, forgive him/her in the name of Jesus, because He alone has the grace to forgive what we consider to be unforgivable. I was recently diagnosed with clinical depression & anxiety disorder. Throughout my therapy and medication, I've uncovered pain and resentment I've carried with me for far too long. They've ranged from petty high school gossip to more mature forms of hurt. I've told some of these people point-blank that their actions hurt me, and I have yet to hear an apology from some of them, or even an admission of doing wrong. And, yet, I have to forgive them. It is what I am called to do as a Christian. Those are always the hardest, but what I had to realize is that I had nothing to gain by withholing that forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean that you have to continue in a relationship with that person. Forgiveness does nto mean that you are saying that what this person did was okay. I looked up forgiveness on dictionary.com, and this definition applealed to me "to cease to feel resentment against". Forgiveness often brings more healing to the person who does the forgiving, not the forgiver. Again, I'm not saying that if Fr Horn is found to be guilty of these crimes, that he should not pay the consequences in the eyes of the Church and in the American legal system. What I am saying is that our broken world would heal a lot faster if we learned to forgive without stipulations.

• Thanks for all of the posts. On the post of 1-19-08 10:22pm. The first and last sentences are striking. - 1st sentence - "I've never said that if Fr. Horn is found to be guilty of these acts, that he shouldn't suffer the consequences issued by legal authorities and by church authorities." last sentence - "I united my sorrows with Christ, and knowing that forgiveness, not justice, is what brought me healing from that hurt and pain." - In some cases, clergy abuse involves "forgiveness" by the victim of the wrongdoer but this does not necessarily end the victim's suffering. The victim may suffer in silence for decades even though she/he may pray to the best of her/his ability for solace and comfort. I think the definition of the process of "forgiveness" is often not provided. These clergy abuse cases involve Catholic priests who are familiar with Penance which involves acknowledgement of wrong, sorrow for what was done, confession, acceptance of responsibility for the wrong, repairing harm done, and forgiveness. Some victims of clergy abuse may be able to forgive and be somewhat okay. Others forgive and are not okay as they become weakened psychologically and/or physically. Some perish. The prescription for healing for each victim will vary depending upon the needs for counseling to medication to legal relief, etc. And, many victims of clergy abuse wrestle with striving for peace in the absence of justice. If more justice were added to the prescriptions for healing, perhaps more victims' lives would be saved and/or made less painful. Bahati

• Bahati - I've never said that if Fr. Horn is found to be guilty of these acts, that he shouldn't suffer the consequences issued by legal authorities and by church authorities. I hope you havne't misconstrued my posts to say anything else. What I have been trying to reflect is that in spite of the sins of these men, Catholicism is a beautiful religion, and I'm glad you recognize that it is a pity that the men who faithfully serve in the priesthood are not all going to commit the same sins as the others. I pray for healing for this victim and that he may find peace in forgiveness. I went through a situation several years ago where I was hurt and I never received complete justice in the form of punishment for the man who hurt me, nor an apology or even an acknowledgement from him that his actions hurt me. But I found solace in knowing that Christ suffered the ultimate hurt and betrayal and his words were this: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." And that is how I eventually came to forgive this man. I united my sorrows with Christ, and knowing that forgiveness, not justice, is what brought me healing from that hurt and pain. Mary

• regarding - the crimes Forgiveness is a process that includes admission of wrong and reparation of damage to the victim. Forgiveness is not dismissal of the act but the process by which broken pieces of the victim's life are put back together as much as possible. The call for accountability serves to lessen the opportunity for creation of more victims. Many victims suffer double because of the pain they feel due to the betrayal and physical abuse they endure and due to trying to carry the burden of preserving the "good" reputation of the very person that did the wrong. Some victims "forgive" and suffer in silence for decades until the breaking point is reached. The victims need healing. Justice is part of the healing process. Justice is the accountability to which the wrongdoer is held and the reparation(s) to which the victim is due. Yes. It is tragic that the sight of the positive work of many priests may be lost during the spotlight's focus on some of the wrongdoers. And, tragic is the absence of healing for many victims. Bahati

• Ms. Sullivan, I admit that many Catholics go through the motions because our faith treasures sacred traditions. Yet, I think if you were to talk with several devout Catholics, you'd find that we are not exactly just going with the flow. I have been to the Bishop Accountability site and have seen the horrible deeds done by man. I am not naive. Furthermore, I have seen first-hand the steps the Catholic Church has taken to prevent these atrocities in the future. Potential seminarians are required to undergo extensive psychological profiling before admission to the seminary. I know of some men turned away from the seminary because the psychologist sensed some deeper issues these men still had to work out. Furthermore, I have witnessed first hand the personal sacrifices and dedication the majority of these men have to a life serving God and man. It is a pity that the men who have committed these atrocities, as well as the men who hid them have overshadowed the wonderful lives of the majority of Catholic priests. I pray that all of you may find it in your hearts to forgive these men and pray for all the men and women who have committed these crimes.

• Ms. Sullivan, I admit that many Catholics go through the motions because our faith treasures sacred traditions. Yet, I think if you were to talk with several devout Catholics, you'd find that we are not exactly just going with the flow. I have been to the Bishop Accountability site and have seen the horrible deeds done by man. I am not naive. Furthermore, I have seen first-hand the steps the Catholic Church has taken to prevent these atrocities in the future. Potential seminarians are required to undergo extensive psychological profiling before admission to the seminary. I know of some men turned away from the seminary because the psychologist sensed some deeper issues these men still had to work out. Furthermore, I have witnessed first hand the personal sacrifices and dedication the majority of these men have to a life serving God and man.

• Thanks to the Houston Press for covering this very sad ongoing story. The timing of the accusation of Horn was during the period of Cardinal DiNardo's transition from Archbishop to Cardinal ( mid-October to November 24, 2007). Some may question whether the accusation against Horn was ironic due to its timing. However, apparently the accuser/victim chose to take the issue to the Church and not the police, lawyers, or media. The latter options were at his disposal back then ( November 2007). It is not clear whether anyone or any organization suggested in November 2007 that the accuser/victim consider informing the police or think about obtaining a personal lawyer regarding the case in addition to or instead of contacting the Church. Victims should be aware that such cases touch on the secular criminal and civil statutes as well as canon law. Yes, there are false accusations which arise with clergy abuse as with any other law beit canonical or secular. Nevertheless, Houston is home to MANY victims of abuse by clergy and the numbers exceed the figure of 46 cases often cited by the diocese regarding its figures rolled into the 2004 report which appears at http://www.usccb.org/nrb/nrbstudy/nrbreport.pdf The 2004 national report shows 10,667 victims of abuse by Catholic priests and deacons from 1950 to 2002. There are cases that have gone unreported and there are cases that are reported under the religious orders ( Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, etc.) The Religious order priests' abuses are NOT reported in the diocese totals even though the abuses occur within the diocese. In summary, The are false alarms. In this case the accusation happened shortly after the Vatican readied for the first cardinal in Texas history. Victims have many options for telling their stories and for presenting their cases: family; friends; co-worker; church legal system, criminal law; civil law; media; private counselor; support group(s) and combinations of the above. There was nothing to stop the church from sharing information sooner with authorities. There may be other victims out there. Bahati

• That is nothing David. We had a priest here in San Diego that would take field trips with the kids to Mexico's Tijuna. Then he would get the kid drunk and take the child to Hotel Circle in San Diego and pull trains on the poor child with two other men. This was known by the church for years. But it was not talked about until the attorney's got Bishop Brown from Orange County on the stand and asked him!

• I say this to you dear people in the Roman Catholic Church. You are not aware of the evil that is going on in your so called church because you are so involved in doing what the church tell you to do.. First, there is a prayer that says "never speak ill of a priest, God will take care of that". Just do as we say and you will go to heaven. This has been going on from generation to generation and will never stop until you, the people in the pews open the eyes,ears and minds that God gave you & tell these evil men who hang in there and let it happen, that you are leaving.. People, you need to do what God says and not be so paranoid and fearful of disobeying the rules of the RCC which are the rules of man. Please check out bishop-accountability.org if you want to see what these so called blessed men are doing throughout the world. Click on Abuse Tracher . It's all there. Get some wisdom by reading what's going on in[what you think] is your precious church. If you don't leave it, you will be held accountable to God,just as all the hierachy who ignore the children for the sake of their positions in the church.The Kingdom of God is within You. Remember He said... If you are Mine.."I will never leave you or forsake you!.

• I must say this David brings to light very good straight forward information. I've been reading about priests starting to speak up about Bishops and Cardinals committing crimes against the people by moving and delaying phone to police. Like the Bishop in California (Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh.) Than that priest Fr.Xavior F.Ochoa ran to Mexico and has not been seen since. It stands to reason that Mr. David is on to some kind of cover up or white washing in our church by the upper pecking order.

• To all who commented: If you had a hint, or an even annoouncement from a catholic cardinal that a priest is being removed because of credible allegations of abuse of a kid, would you even dare let your child or your grandchild be any where near this priest? Yes, a priest's name can be ruined, but a child or 'your' child's "life" might be ruined. What would you do? Timing is everything. This priest had tons of time to get prepared. He had time to do what he is good at, he has time to manipulate, and intimidate victims, and his loyal followers. He has had 'years' of practice. This is what he is good at, fooling people. This is what sexual preditors have learned to do. Which would you rather happen, a name be tarnished, or a child be sexually abused? I commend David Clohessy for having the guts to stand up for kids. Thank god that your kids have someone who cares. Judy Jones

• The all-corrupt miters and red hats will continue their arrogant, above-the-law behavior until their Kool-Aid-drinking sheeple wake up and cut off the gravy train. Only when their cushy lifestyle is in jeopardy will anything positive happen.

• Mr. Clohessy - thanks for the clarification. I had not seen the Channel 13 coverage of the story, so I wasn't aware of the specific timing of when DiNardo informed the police (as I indicated in my original post). I admit I have a slight bias on this situation considering my religious affiliation. I am keeping this entire situation and all involved in my prayers. And, as I said, I am saddened to see the hate directed at other priests as a result of these allegations.

• I'm pretty sure that DiNardo said at his press conference that it was forwarded to police on the same day or just days before the press conference. They waited two months to report it. Is that how child rape should be handled? Let private parties have a wack at it first, before police? While evidence may be shredded and perpetrators are hidden by the self-declared investigators? If it occurred at a daycare center, would you want the daycare center to spend 2 mos. investigating itself before reporting to police? Which other violent crimes do we allow private parties to investigate themselves first? Just the crimes against children? This is absurd.

• Channel 13's Monday night report was crystal clear: DiNardo only told the police last Friday. (DiNardo's public relations person admitted this.) So he kept secret about child sex allegations, later deemed credible by church officials, for at least two months. He told neither the police (who should have been notified immediately) nor parishioners (who also should have been notified promptly).

• This story saddens me for so many reasons. My prayers are with all involved and impacted. I have a friend who is a parishioner at St Luke's and he is saddened by this. And, I think Clohessy might be making his statements based upon incomplete information. Once the allegations were made in November, Fr Horn was promptly placed on sabbatical leave. According to the Chronicle article, DiNardo has been working with law enforcement officials. It is unclear (at least from what I have read) <I>when</I> DiNardo contacted law enforcement. It seems as though Clohessy is assuming that DiNardo waited until this week to contact them, since this is when DiNardo held the press conference. The timing of the press conference, I think, was appropriate since I assume the time between the initial accusation and now was spent researching the situation. Many reputations and lives are at stake, and it would've been unfair to announce the initial allegation without investigation and send the city on a 'witch hunt'. I personally know a priest who had accusations brought against him, and he was found innocent in the eyes of both the Church and by the appropriate legal channels. The whole ordeal brought him a great deal of pain and there is still pain in his heart. Also, I think it is inappropriate to expect to know the rehabilitation location of Fr Horn. Just because the whole world knows where Britney Spears is getting alcohol rehab doesn't mean this should be publicized, either. Again, just a different perspective. I think DiNardo handled the situation extremely well and with tact. I also ask any reader of this to be mindful of the fact that this is one priest in a large diocese. The vast majority of Catholic priests are wonderful men of God who have taken measures to protect themselves from being succeptible to allegations such as this (i.e. avoiding situations where he is with alone with a child)

• What? This mess has spread to Houston? Please, no. Houston won't have this. We rescued Katrina people, sent buses to pick them up. Our mayor won't allow this. Houston children raped by priests? God have mercy.

TotalComments: 27